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Macaron Tutorial

Monday, February 18, 2008

I know, I know...Valentine's Day is like 4 days behind...and still I am all about the reds and the pinks...and gushy feelings for and shared with family and loved ones. You are going to think I am lying when I proclaim high and loud that we do not celebrate V-Day. Well, we don't do the usual things like flowers, jewelry, and especially dining out. I love what Jen said about that day and how she feels about her man. Ditto Jen! So it should be no surprise to you when I tell you that we ended up making dinner together and that I am the one who brought the jewelry...in the form of these Jeweled Hot Tamale Macarons.

I know B. loves macarons way more than I do, and he likes Hot Tamales way more than I do, so I found it only fitting to make these for him for last Thursday, except they were made on Tuesday and also shared with my mother before her trip back. Only a few were left for Valentine's Day dinner and that was plenty with a glass of dessert white wine. Why a Hot Tamale? Because I think B. is plenty hot to make me melt... Just like these macarons. Why Jeweled Macarons? Because they're full of sparkles and when held in the light they look like a million bucks.

I filled them with a soft white chocolate and raspberry ganache and as you bite into them, you are surprised by a hot cinnamon candy. The macaron shells were painted hot red and sprinkled with pink sugar sparkles which offer a little extra crunch on your lips when you bite into them.

I promise this is the last "lurve" post for a while, I guess I just got inspired this year!! Note on the first photo: my mom was my model and I want to thank her for going through 15 minutes (twice) of "Don't move" "To the right...lower...left" "Hold it" "One more..." especially right after she woke up...! Thank you Mom!

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glosy meringue. Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry and your macarons won't work. Combine the ground almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a quick pulse. It will break the powdered sugar lumps and cobine your almond with it evenly. Add them to the meringue along with 1 TB food coloring and fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like magma or a thick ribbon. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small round onto parchment paper baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 315F. Let the macarons sit out for an hour to harden their shell a bit and bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool completely. Combine 2 Tb food coloring with 1TB water in a small container and paint the macaron shells with the color. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Fill a pastry bag with the ganache, pipe over one shell, add a Hot Tamale candy and close with the other macaron shell.

If you can't find raspberry puree: in a food processor, puree enough raspberries (1/2pint) to get the required mesurement.In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat the cream to boiling, remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate. Whisk until completly combined, add the raspberry puree. Refrigerate until ready to fill the macarons.

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Now...I need to brag a little...but just a little.... Dessert Magazine released their first digital edition and is featuring a lot of the contestant from the Death By Chocolate Contest (with their permission) Not only am I featured in their edition but The Nutella Creams picture actually made the cover! Now...excuse me for the shameless "Tooting my own horn"...I am done. I love the layout of the magazine and the actual "flipping" the page sound, I am looking forward to reading more issues!

Wow... that's so exciting! Congratulations! You really did have a beautiful looking dessert there. As for the Hot Tamales... I don't know what they taste like, I've never eaten one, but these look so fun and colorful!

Oh please Helen, NEVER stop. Write all the lovey that you like because I certainly love each one of these posts AND I love the Hot Tamale Macarons!! Knowing how you feel about your guy makes me feel better about all the world.

WOW how cool is that - on the cover no less! I'm off to check it out!!

Oh please Helen, NEVER stop. Write all the lovey that you like because I certainly love each one of these posts AND I love the Hot Tamale Macarons!! Knowing how you feel about your guy makes me feel better about all the world.

WOW how cool is that - on the cover no less! I'm off to check it out!!

I've felt the same 'oh-my-god-not-valentine's-day-again' feeling when reading food blogs. have people gone nuts?:D it's not celebrated as much here in Estonia and although I made candies for my friends and stuff and had a great day and stuff, that holiday is NOT about making all my food heart-shaped. Riiight?

The macarons look fantastic and HOT, but Whoooo-hooo for the cover of the Dessert magazine AND being the first recipes inside. They did a nice job and it is fun to hear the sound of pages turning as you move to the next page online. Very cool! Congrats.

Congrats on the cover--you deserve it! I just made your recipe for creme au nutella for the first time this weekend and thought I had died and gone to heaven (http://lafujimama.blogspot.com/2008/02/attack.html). Thanks!

Helene, do you know that you are absolutely amazing?! Congrats on the cover of the magazine (I'd put you on the cover of every magazine - even Popular Mechanics - hee hee)! But those macarons, you have outdone yourself. They are so pretty and creative and a labor of love. Cheers to you and your very lucky guy :) And I just want to say that I adore your mom, what a sweetheart she is!